Page 168 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

detenniners: the, my, some, several etc 154
4 Group B + Group A: some of the people
Group B detenniners can be used directly before nouns, without of. Have you got any sugar? (NOT ••• any tt/Sttgaf.)
Most people agree with me. (NOT l'fftt3t tJ/petJple ...)
But if we want to put a Group B determiner before a noun which has a Group A detenniner (article, possessive or demonstrative), we have to use of. Compare:
- S017U! people
- enough remarks
enough ofthose remarks
S017U! ofthe people
- which friends
which ofyourfriends
- each child
each ofmy children
A Group B determiner + o f can be used directly before a noun in a few cases. This happens with proper nouns such as place names, and sometimes with uncountable nouns that refer to the whole of a subject or activity.
Most o f Wales was without electricity last night.
Much o f philosophy is concerned with questions that have no answers.
5 Group B + of + pronoun: most of us
Group B determiners are used with o f before pronouns.
neither ofthem which ofus most ofyou
6 no and none; every and every one
No and every are not used before of, instead we use none and every one. Compare:
- nofriends - every blouse
none o f my friends every one o f these blouses 7 all (of). both (of). half (of)
We can leave out ofafter all, both and halfwhen they are followed by nouns (but not when they are followed by pronouns).
all (oj) his itleas half (oj) her income
both (oj) my parents but all of us (NOT all ttS)
Note that when each, every, either and neither are used directly before nouns without of, the nouns are singular. Compare:
- each tree - neither partner
each o f the trees neither o f the partners
8 Group A + Group B: his many friends
Certain Group B determiners can be used after Group A determiners. They are many, most, little, least and few.
his many friends these few poems the least time
the most money a little time a few questions
For the difference between little and a little, and between few and a few, see 329.
9 other determiners: other. such. what. only. numbers
There are a few other determiners that do not fit into Groups A and B. They are
other, such, what (in exclamations), only and numbers. Other, only and page 136
- neither door
neither ofthese doors
- most shops
most ofthe shops